- May 1 Little Walter [Marion Walter Jacobs], blues singer-songwriter and harmonica player, born in Marksville, Louisiana (d. 1968)
- May 4 Roberta Peters, American operatic soprano (NY Metropolitan Opera, 1950-85), born in The Bronx, New York (d. 2017)
- May 5 Joyce Collins, American jazz and film and television session pianist, singer, and educator, born in Battle Mountain, Nevada (d. 2010)
- May 8 Heather Harper, Northern Irish operatic soprano (Britten's War Requiem), born in Belfast, Northern Ireland (d. 2019)
- May 11 Gordon Langford [Colman], British composer and arranger of brass, choral, and orchestral music (Facets of Glass; Rhapsody for Trombone), born in Edgware, England (d. 2017)
- May 14 Władysław Słowiński, Polish contemporary classical composer, born in Sadlno, Poland
- May 16 Friedrich Gulda, Austrian classical and jazz pianist and composer (Ineffable; Concerto for Cello and Wind Orchestra), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 2000)
- May 19 Hans Kox, Dutch composer (Dorian Gray; Symphony No. 4 - "Tasmanian"), and educator, born in Arnhem, Netherlands (d. 2019)
- May 22 Kenny Ball, English jazz musician, born in Ilford, Essex (d. 2013)
- May 24 Hans-Martin Linde, German flute and recorder virtuoso, born in Werne, Germany
- May 27 Eino Tamberg, Estonian composer (Joanna tentata), born in Tallinn, Estonia (d. 2010)
- May 28 Julian Slade, English popular composer (Salad Days), born in London (d. 2006)
- May 28 Lawrence "Tricky" Lofton, American jazz trombonist, born in Houston, Texas
- May 30 David Evatt Tunley, Australian composer, born in Australia
About May 1930
How Old? 93 years old
Generation: Silent Generation
Leap Year: No
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